Indonesia Government System

Local Government System of Indonesia
(Kathrene Jane L Naval, MPA 1)

Introduction
“sic parvis magna”. This was the motto of Sir Francis Drake, an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. It means “greatness from small beginnings”. It can be associated to a country’s government system wherein the whole progress and success of a nation is attributed to how progressive and successful its local governments are. Local government systems are the heart of a nation, for they are the roots that build together the prominence of the whole country. A successful government system therefore should start with the local areas, for if every local government system works well, it would be easier for the whole

Geographical location of Indonesia in Southeast Asia.
Geography
Tanah Air Kita, which means “Our Land and Water”, is what Indonesians call their country due to its geographical condition which consists of 18,307 islands. Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world stretching some 2,000 kilometers from North to South and more than 5,000 kilometers from East to West. The archipelago extends over more than one-tenth of the Equator between Southeast Asia and Australia. The largest islands are the Kalimantan provinces on Borneo, Sumatra, Papua, Sulawesi and Java (where Jakarta is located).
Nearly 60 percent of Indonesia 's land is forested and a significant portion is mountainous and volcanic. Centuries of volcanic activity has led to high degree of soil fertility on Java and Bali, which accounts in part for the high concentration of agriculture and people on these two islands.
Ethnicity
Majority of Indonesians are of Malay extraction. The remainder of the “pribumi” (natives) are Melanesian (in Papua and the eastern islands). There are ethnic Chinese, Indians and Arabs concentrated mostly in urban areas throughout the archipelago. Major Ethnic groups: Javanese - 45%, Sundanese - 14%, Madurese - 7.5%, Coastal Malays - 7.5%, and others -

The temperature ranges between 16-35 degrees Celsius (61-91 degrees F) with humidity ranging from 60-98 percent.
There are two seasons, the rainy monsoon season which usually lasts from November through May, with the heaviest rainfall from November through March (or so); followed by the dry season which is driest between June and September. Rainfall varies throughout Indonesia, averaging 706 mm (28 inches) yearly.
ECONOMIC FACTORS
Currency
The currency of Indonesia is the Rupiah (IDR). The currency rates "float" and the rate varies along with a myriad of economic factors.
Growth Rate
The economic growth rate was 4.73% in July 2015. Gross domestic product rose 3.21 percent in July 2015.
Inflation is currently at 6.84% (September 2015) according to Bank Indonesia.
In 2014 the World Bank declared that Indonesia had the 16th largest economy in the worldt.
Per Capita Income
The per capita income, was US$ 3,491 in 2014. (World Bank)
Mineral Resources
Oil and natural gas, coal, tin, copper, nickel ore, bauxite, copper, coal, silver, and gold.
Main Agricultural Products
Rice, palm oil, coffee, tea, spices, cassava, peanuts, cocoa, copra, sugar, natural rubber, shrimp and fish, poultry, beef, and